Syaoran - Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE



Cost: $60
Time to Make: 20 hours
Timeline of Construction: May 2004


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Information

I was suprised when I heard that CLAMP was going to be making a new Manga series that revisited classic CLAMP characters, but in a whole new fantasy adventure. Syaoran from Card Captor Sakura is one of my all-time favourite Anime characters so a series starring a new version of my favourite character was right up my alley. I decided to Cosplay the simple version of Syaoran not long after the first volume of the Manga was released. The costume was fairly easy to make. A lot of the outfit could be bought. I was happy that I picked this version, not only because it wasn't as complicated as some of the other renditions of Syaoran's outfit, but also because it's the one Syaoran wears the most throughout the Manga. I actually lucked out on the shirt. I had been assuming ever since I decided to make this costume that I could buy the shirt at a clothing store (since it's just a plain, black, sleeveless turtleneck) and put off looking for it until only about a month before the con. After searching through several clothing stores, I was really disappointed that I couldn't find one, but thankfully my mother suggested we check out one last clothing store at Bridlewood mall and they had the perfect shirt for sale.

I wanted a nice pair of long, masculine-like gloves so my mother offered to knit me a pair. They turned out nicely and were very comfortable. The pants were actually from my original Li Syaoran costume. I don't wear white pants so I got them from my mother who had worn them several years ago. They fit me well and worked out great for the costume. I sewed black strips (4 in total) onto the front and back of the shirt. I was considering using the shirt for mBrosia's dance performance, so I made the yellow buttons on the strips detachable by gluing them to Canadian flag pins. I also sewed more strips to the outer side of the bottom of the pant legs. I borrowed Pan's big boots for the costume so I could have some extra height over my Sakura.

Although I own a pair of goggles, I borrowed Pan's for this costume because mine are plain black and hers are grey (which better suited the costume). I also borrowed Pan's wig (the one I've used for Cooro) because it worked out ok for Syaoran. The cloak was the most difficult part of the costume and the one part that I didn't work on very much (because I was busy studying for a math test at the time). I bought a long piece of brown material that actually changes colour depending on the light in which you view it. (It sometimes looks mossy green and sometimes dark brown). My mother modified an old Halloween costume pattern for a cape and just made it longer and broader to fit me. She lined the inside and the cloak turned out really well. She also put a hood on it. The cloak was made out of a very heavy material and actually weighs quite a bit. Despite this, it still sits fairly well on my shoulders and flaps around nicely in the wind. I really appreciate my mother making the cloak for me.

Lastly, the crowing achievement of this costume has to be the staff. I actually didn't make it because as I said, I was busy studying. Thank goodness for my father who seems to be a great prop maker. He had already made me a sword, a bow and arrow and another staff and the work he did on Syaoran's staff was beyond exceptional. He started with a wooden broom handle from Home Hardware and found old wooden pieces in our basement. The staff is made up of quite a few pieces which were either glued or nailed together. I was really impressed by the circular part of the staff that hangs at an angle. (^^) It isn't accurate to Syaoran's actual staff, but considering how unrealistic Syaoran's staff is, my dad did a wonderful job. I was really worried about how fragile the staff was, but it held together very well. It wasn't until some AN staff member laid it on the floor and shoved coats on it that it started to break. (That's just another negative experience I had at AN 2004).

Overall, this was a wonderful costume to make and wear! I got to be a part of a Tsubasa group at AN '04 as Sakura dressed up as Sakura and another friend dressed up as Faye. Both of their costumes were wonderful! A few months before the con both Sakura and I chipped in to buy the official Tsubasa Modoki and Mokona plushies and we enjoyed posing with them for photos. Our Tsubasa group was a lot of fun to be a part of.

Events/Conventions this costume was worn to
Anime North 2004 (Saturday), to a Tsubasa photoshoot on Tuesday, July 13th, 2004, CNAnime 2004 (Friday) & to the Toronto Island Cosplay Picnic 2006


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